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The 20th edition of Printemps des Sciences kicks off this Monday

(Belga) The Printemps des Sciences is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year in the midst of a pandemic and at a time when distrust of science is growing. Never mind, escape game, conferences, scientific missions and fun walks will be on the agenda for a week full of discoveries, which starts on Monday. The theme for this year is “the world of tomorrow”.

Created in 2001, the Printemps des Sciences has established itself as the largest science and technology festival in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. If the event usually attracts some 50,000 visitors through, among other things, meetings with researchers and workshops, the formula had to be revisited somewhat this year because of the coronavirus. The sciences will therefore not only be “at your fingertips” but above all “just a click away”, the majority of the activities offered taking place online. However, the program is nonetheless rich in discoveries of all kinds. “Biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, zoologists, geologists, architects … All these men and women will be mobilized – mainly behind their screens – to show Science in its broadest acceptance. Natural sciences, natural sciences ‘engineer, human and social sciences … will be approached in an original way and in the clearest way possible to be understood by the greatest number “, assure the organizers in a press release. This 20th edition is all the more important since, since the arrival of the pandemic, “anti-science, conspiracy and disinformation are dangerously gaining ground”, note the organizers. The event will also open on Monday 22 March at 8:00 p.m., with the conference “Science in the era of suspicion”, organized by the network of universities of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation sciences.be and the magazine Imagine tomorrow the world. The speakers will examine in particular the way in which the sciences can be more at the service of the general interest and of democracy. The dozens of scientific popularization activities planned, open to all and free, will be broken down this year under the theme “the world of tomorrow”. The main objectives pursued remain the same, namely to improve the general perception of sciences, techniques, technologies and mathematics (STEM); encourage scientific vocations, especially among young girls, or improve the scientific culture of citizens. Among the proposed activities, let us highlight in particular “Mate ta tartine”, which is a scientific experiment followed by a conference which takes place online on March 23 at 6:00 pm. The “My thesis in 180 seconds” competition is also on the program again. This animation, also offered online, aims to “inform the general public of the richness and interest of scientific research, while developing the communication skills of doctoral students with the general public”. In Brussels, the flagship activity of Printemps des Sciences is the “Exposition des Sciences”, which was designed by ULB students. In addition, the exhibition “THINK EAT: Urban Alternatives”, proposed by the Ohme collective at the BIGH farm in Anderlecht (Brussels), invites the general public to think about means of urban production and sustainable consumption. A guided tour is possible by reservation only. In Namur, an interactive quiz on “The inventions of tomorrow” is not to be missed on Thursday March 25 at 7:30 pm. Also to discover: a “science marathon”, a five-hour live broadcast on the MUMONS YouTube channel, on Sunday March 28, from 2:00 pm. During the week, from Monday March 22 to Friday March 26, the activities will be aimed mainly at schools, with in particular the Math-Sciences days which will give pride of place to biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. “Big advantage this year, the number of students is almost unlimited – with one exception – since everything will be done online. And exclusively, scientific youtubers will turn into ‘teachers’ to present you activities around the interior the human body or the ambient skepticism and conspiracy theories “, underline the organizers. Due to the coronavirus, this 20th edition will favor contacts with the outside world and with nature. “Biodiversity is thus put in the spotlight in both natural and urban environments”, according to the press release. The complete Printemps des Sciences program is available via the link https://www.sciences.be/evenements/pds-programme/. (Belga)

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